PESHAWAR, Dec 8: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazlur Rehman) on Friday staged a protest rally against the Protection of Women Act, characterising it as a “licence for spreading obscenity and vulgarity”.

The JUI-F procession started off from the Madni Mosque in Namakmandi and was led by MNA Qari Fayazur Rehman Alvi. The procession turned into a rally when it arrived at the Bajauri Chowk near Shoba Bazaar. Provincial Minister for Auqaf and Religious Affairs Amanullah Haqqani and JUI-F’s provincial spokesman Jalil Jan were among those who addressed the rally.

Protesters chanted slogans against the government, President Pervez Musharraf and US President Bush for supporting what they termed “anti-Islamic measures”. The NWFP minister for religious affairs criticised the Act and said that it was nothing more than an instrument to propagate the culture of obscenity in the country.

He said that a battle had begun between two groups — one promulgating anti-Islamic laws while the other group was acting as a bulwark against laws which were inconsistent with Islam. He said that President Musharraf was a US agent who was just following the American agenda.

JUI spokesman claimed that President Musharraf had exceeded the limits set by Allah by enacting the Act, saying that the spread of western culture in Pakistan was alarming.